


Daffodils and Forget-Me-Nots

by TheStoryVerse



Category: Sanders Sides (Web Series)
Genre: Child Abuse (Cause Cinderella), Cinderella AU, Fluff and Angst, Multi, This is mostly famILY and platonic goodness, i love these boys, it's still cute though, so much emotional bonding y'all, with some royality romance at the end
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-20
Updated: 2018-05-20
Packaged: 2019-05-09 05:52:55
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,333
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14710335
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheStoryVerse/pseuds/TheStoryVerse
Summary: When Virgil and Logan's mother remarries, the two brothers are hopeful that the change will bring them some relief from her constant demands and verbal abuse.  Their hopes are dashed, however, with the death of their step father.  Now, they have to deal with surviving their mother while watching her abuse their step brother: running him ragged as she turns him into a servant in his own household.  Determined to aid Patton in some small way, Logan and Virgil begin putting a plan into action.Based on that one Cinderella: Redo http://shanastoryteller.tumblr.com/post/157184957385/cinderella-redo





	Daffodils and Forget-Me-Nots

**Author's Note:**

> I just wrote this in one stream for 5 hours straight, so it isn't edited XD I just hope it makes y'all happy! It was fun to write

They’d hoped it would be different this time. When their mother remarried the nice merchant with the warm eyes and even warmer smile. She mentioned a son, calling him an “unseemly urchin with twigs in his hair and dirt that ran to his core no doubt from how often he was kowtowing with the servants”. Logan almost snorted at his mother’s egregious misuse of the word, but held his tongue for fear of a lashing. In a fit of quiet rebellion later that evening Virgil informed Logan that he “liked the boy already”. Logan had smiled grimly and agreed. Virgil slept in Logan’s bed that night, arms wrapped around his brother: anticipation, fear, and hope making them sleep little.

Virgil sulked at the finery his mother forced him to wear to “present himself” to their step father. But Logan poked him in the side and shot him a sharp look and Virgil complied. He knew better than to cross his mother. They both did.

When they arrived at the new house by carriage (for their mother would refuse to go in anything less grand) it was startlingly different from the stately gray manor they’d known before. With its cold drafts that chilled to the bone and made bruises on knuckles, sharp jabs, and even sharper words sting to the bone. Their mother’s smile twisted when she got out of her carriage, but she still swept forward with all the grace of her station. Logan pulled Virgil out of the carriage behind him as their mother gracefully stepped into her husband’s tentative embrace and placed a dry kiss to his cheek before pulling away immediately and introducing her two sons.

Logan wore a mask of indifference, standing tall and proud while Virgil quivered with anxiety. The only things that kept him from outright shaking and even bolting were the watchful eyes of his mother and the warm hand braced against his back, tapping a rhythm he knew well into his side. 4, 7, 8. 4, 7, 8. Virgil sucked in a silent breath and tried to follow the pattern, relaxing as far as he dared into the reassuring weight of his brother’s hold.

Their stepfather smiled at them and gestured behind him as well, calling out to someone behind them. There was a blur of color and a little boy raced forward, a happy grin on his face and little forget-me-nots and daffodils clutched in a tiny bouquet in his hands. He had a few lines of dry dirt smeared across his cheek, and glasses slipping down his freckled nose. Their mother looked appalled, but hid it well behind a subtle sneer. The little boy stumbled to a halt in front of Logan and Virgil and breathlessly greeted them with a bright Hello! and presented them with the flowers.

Logan froze, completely unsure what to do. Virgil, numb with shock next to him was going to be of no help. Well, then. Blinking, Logan gathered himself and tentatively took the flowers, awkwardly thanking the boy. The grin their step brother gave them was blinding and with some surprise, Logan noted that he felt Virgil relax just a touch more. One of the knots in Logan’s chest loosened slightly in relief at the boy’s positive response, and he desperately prayed that the interaction would be over soon so and he and Virgil could escape to their new room.

They quickly realized, however, that this new home wasn’t going to be what they’d hoped it would be. They tried to be courtly and civil to their new step father and their step brother, but Logan was awkward with all social interactions and came off as stiff and stuck up. And poor Virgil was always terrified and stuttered and stammered his way through each interaction or couldn’t speak at all, which earned him crueler words and even fiercer anger from their mother.

While Logan and Virgil were forced to work to the bone on their studies and learn all manner of courtly life, Patton played in the garden and received warm hugs and kisses from his father. He was full of light and laughter. Logan wanted to resent him for it. Resent him for the goodness and kindness he received. For being a stranger that made Virgil stutter and brought their mother’s wrath down on his younger brother harder than ever before. But, he couldn’t. Because despite Virgil’s anxiety and the anger simmering under Virgil’s skin at all times, Patton could make him smile. Patton somehow knew how to coax Virgil into feeling at ease, if only in the rare moments when their mother was well out of sight and busy elsewhere. So, no. Logan couldn’t hate him. Instead, he turned his ire to his step father and his mother, and poured all of his energy into his studies and protecting Virgil and hating them.

When Patton’s father died, it was a blow. Patton wept, broken and grief stricken. Logan dithered, not good with people and even worse with comfort, so he avoided the issue altogether. Virgil offered Patton a hug once, which he threw himself into, sobbing into a startled Virgil’s arms. But, when their mother saw Virgil and after hitting him harshly Virgil avoided Patton as well.

Their mother dismissed the household, lamenting the loss for “how would they live”? Telling Paton that work would be good for his grief, she put him to work in the gardens and the kitchen. Slowly, but surely, their mother began adding more and more work for Patton. She turned him into a servant in his own home, ragged, dirty, and constantly tired. She sneered at him and treated him like the dirt beneath her shoe, laughing and mocking and cruel. Patton tried to maintain a positive and upbeat attitude, chattering with the animals as he fed them and humming to himself as he did his chores, but Virgil could see the light fading and dimming in his eyes and the months passed.

They wanted to help, but their mother ruled them with an iron fist and watched them like a hawk. They weren’t even fourteen years old, with Logan and Patton barely thirteen and Virgil only twelve. What could they do? Virgil and Logan avoided Patton like the plague. Logan felt guilty for the way their mother treated him and Virgil was sure that Patton hated them for their finery and for what their mother did.

One night Logan was startled awake when a soft weight pressed against his bed. Bleary with sleep, he instinctively scooted over and opened his arms. The familiar presence crawled forward and settled into him as Logan blinked rapidly to clear his vision. He squinted at his younger brother, groping for his glasses before Virgil silently handed them to him. Their mother hated that Logan wore glasses. She’d raged against it for years before giving in to their father and finally allowing it. But, it remained a sore point for her, and one she treated with the utmost contempt.

“Virgil?” He croaked. “What happened?”

Logan’s eyes widened and he sat up slightly as he saw his little brother’s eyes shining with tears. “I was thirsty, so I went into the kitchen to get a drink and- and Patton is still up! He’s still doing the dishes! The fireplace hasn’t been swept either and, and the counters are still dirty but he has to get up at dawn, Lo! How- how is he going to do that? How long has he been doing that!” Tears trickled down Virgil’s cheeks as he started sobbing soundlessly, body shaking with tremors that he tried to suppress out of instinct as he clung tighter to Logan.

“Virgil, Virgil honey I need you to breath, okay? Breathe with me” Logan gently moved one of Virgil’s hands to his chest, resting over his heart. Logan took deep, slow breaths, mimicking the breathing pattern he’d taught Virgil a few years ago.

Once Virgil’s breathing evened out enough to speak again he collapsed against Logan, his tears a streaming unchecked down his cheeks. “It’s not fair.” He whispered.

“Life isn’t fair.” Logan replied, echoing one of their mother’s favorite phrases, but it left a bitter taste in his mouth. He looks into his brother’s wet eyes and he sees the anger there, blazing and hard beneath the surface. So, Logan pulls himself and Virgil up and they troop downstairs.

**********

Patton’s hands were cramping and he was so tired his vision was fuzzy. Some far off piece of him idly noted that he’d been scrubbing the same dish for the past- who knows how long. But, Patton couldn’t bring himself to do more than scrub his hands the the dish raw as he swayed on his feet. He jumped violently when he felt a gentle hand brush his shoulder, whirling around. His vision titled as he spun and grew black around the edges. He staggered, bracing himself for the cold ground but was caught by strong arms. Startled he looked up and saw Virgil.

He opened his mouth, gaping, but Virgil shook his head softly, mouth pressed into a thin line. Numbly, Patton observed Logan nod at Virgil then step towards the sink, rolling up his sleeves as he began to work while Virgil gently guided him out of the room.

Virgil lead Patton to his room and Patton staggered along, too exhausted to understand what was going on and not willing to try. Virgil’s breath hitched when they entered the room and his eyes narrowed at the haggard state of Patton’s bed and threadbare blankets. “Stay here.” He murmured, then darted away.

Patton wrapped his arms around himself, blinking past blurry eyes and moved forward. With fumbling fingers, he removed his glasses whose frames had been broken so many times that it was a miracle the tape was still holding them up. Gently, he placed them on the floor then dropped into bed. He was asleep almost instantly. He woke briefly at the feeling of something, soft, warm and heavy being gently laid over him before succumbing to the darkness once more, and for the first time since his father died, Patton sleeps peacefully.

Patton didn’t want to get up the next morning. Still cozy under the heavy weight of his dream, he could almost feel the warmth from last night. Patton blinked blearily, exhaling a loud sigh, then startled. He shot up, gaping at the blur of colors on top of him. Patton groped on the ground for his glasses, and when he slipped them on, he couldn’t believe his eyes. Virgil’s rich purple comforter was laying on top of him.

Patton shot out of bed and raced down the stairs, knees buckling and slamming to a halt against the doorframe. He crashed to his knees, tears welling up in his eyes and spilling over. The dishes were done. They hadn’t all been put away properly but the fireplace was swept immaculately, the counters had been scrubbed down, and the trash had been taken out. There was even a basket of eggs waiting for him to start breakfast.

Patton could barely breath. He worried that if he made a single sound, the spell would be broken and the comforter would be gone and he’d be standing in a dirty kitchen again. He couldn’t believe that Virgil and Logan did something so good and kind for him. He knew there was good in them, unlike their mother who he was beginning to doubt had a shred of kindness in her body. But, this? This was too much to comprehend. Patton thought they hated him. And, yet, here was this sweet and simple act of kindness. The kind of compassion Patton hadn’t seen in so long, that it filled his whole soul singing through him as he stumbled to his feet. With a deep breath, Patton strode forward and began working on breakfast. A grin he had feared lost stretching across his cheeks and lightening his eyes.

His step mother came down soon after and Patton served her silently, butterflies still flittering in his stomach. Logan and Virgil however, swept past him and the dining table, not even bothering to glance at the food. They were dressed well, as if to go out. Patton immediately zeroed in on their hands which were covered in gloves, likely to hide the blisters and bruises from cleaning.

“Virgil and I going into town.” Logan stated imperiously, barely sparing a bored glance towards his mother. “We will be back promptly for dinner.” Virgil too, looked indifferent, holding himself with more surety than Patton had ever seen and his heart swelled with fondness for the boy. He’d always liked Virgil, and Patton had seen how much Logan cared for Virgil over the years. Hiding Virgil from his mother’s wrath and letting her take her ire out on him when he could. The memory brought another small smile to his face.

“Very well.” Their step mother sniffed. Regal and proud as always, even when she was barely awake. “Be punctual and don’t interact with the riff raff.”

“Yes, mother.” Logan and Virgil chorused, unflinching, then strode out of the room.

Patton spent the day gardening under the blistering sun. He’s desperate to speak with Logan and Virgil. To ask them about what they did for him and why. He hoped it wasn’t a fluke, or a moment of pity. But, the past year had withered Patton’s hope down, and now he’s unsure and afraid to wish for more than this moment of kindness. A moment Patton swore to himself he’ll cherish forever.

When Patton finally finished the gardening and all of the cooking the moon had already passed its high point. It’s so late that Patton couldn’t bring himself to even attempt the dishes that night. He resolved to do them before dawn, and drug himself to the drafty attic to sleep.

When he entered the room, Patton felt the air leave his lungs. He stared, gaping and felt another surge of tears welling in his eyes. Instead of his threadbare blanket there was a flush comforter in rich royal blue and decorated with bright daffodils and forget-me-nots. Instead of the limp throw pillow he’d managed to squander from an old couch, there were two plump white pillows at the head of the bed, soft and oh so tempting. Like a ghost, Patton drifted forward, hesitantly pulling back the comforter. Patton’s breath hitched again at the clean, white sheets beneath.

Patton pulled himself out of his daze and ran over to his wash bucket in the corner. He started to rapidly scrub himself down as best he could, not wanting to get into the bed covered in dirt and grass and ruin the perfect sheets, but desperate to sleep in the warm, inviting covers. When he was clean as he could manage, Patton slipped his glasses off and crawled into bed. He was out as soon as he hit the pillows.

Patton woke up an hour before dawn and crept downstairs, determined to finish the dishes. He halted midway down the stairs when he heard whispers and he couldn’t believe his eyes. Patton stared, frozen at the sight of Logan and Virgil standing at the sink scrubbing the dishes together. Logan was smiling at his brother who let out a breathy laugh every once in a while while they talked.

Patton wanted to confront them. To help them work and to just talk to his step brothers. But, he was scared. Scared that if he did so he’d break the spell and things would go back to the way they were before. And, that was something Patton couldn’t bear the thought of. Not after the kindness he’d been shown. He wouldn’t have been able to handle this taste of kindness only to have it ripped away again. Patton knew he’d shatter for good if it did.

So, Patton crept back up the stairs and to his room. He collapsed into his bed and took the opportunity to sleep until dawn. When he came down at his normal time, the kitchen was clean once and the basket of eggs was waiting for him.

**********

Virgil liked doing the work. They’d never done anything like this before, but true to form, Logan quickly assessed the situation and after poking around a bit, figured out where everything went and the most efficient way of getting things done. The hard chores that gave him blisters and calluses was like a balm. Virgil had never had the opportunity to work with his own hands before, and the cleaning helped to calm his anxiety. What helped the most though, was knowing that he and Logan were doing something their mother would hate.

It terrified him. She always terrified him. But, the surge of spite he felt towards his mother and the knowledge that not only were he and Logan defying her in some small way but that they could help Patton while doing so, fueled Virgil. The defiant act gave him a small shred of confidence that he knew Logan could see. His mother noticed too, but she just thought that maybe he was finally getting his “worthless act together”. Though she still found endless ways to criticize him.

“He’s about my size, right?” Virgil mused one night while they worked. “Do you think any of my old clothes would fit him? We can’t get him new ones since we spent all of our pocket money on the bed sheets and comforter.

“We definitely cannot ask mother for any more money or she would grow suspicious. However, she would also recognize anything we gave him that we owned.” Logan added, a frown on his face.

“The last thing we want is for her to start poking around.” Virgil muttered darkly, glowering at the floor.

They were silent for a moment. “Wait.” Logan looked curiously at Virgil. “What if we found a way to make my clothes plainer? Ones she won’t recognize?”

“I suppose,” Logan said carefully, wheels turning in his head. “We could attempt such a feat; however, neither of us can sew. It would take a while before we had enough money to pay the seamstress ourselves, but if we wait it should be no trouble.”

“But, I don’t want to wait!” Virgil hissed, splashing the water against the edges of the sink at a particularly harsh scrub. “He doesn’t deserve this!” Virgil scowled down at the dirty water, thinking hard.

Logan sighed as he placed a dish on the drying rack. “I know how you feel Virgil, but-”

“What if you traded her some of your embroidery? No, stop sputtering and listen. The seamstress might do the work for us if you do some work for her. You’ve read multiple books on the subject and I know you embroider sometimes as a way to unwind after a particularly bad day with mother.”

Logan flushed brilliantly. “I cannot do that!” He hissed. “Men do not embroider!”

“You’re good at it, Lo.” Virgil urged. “I know mother says it’s unseemly for men to do, but you love the intricate patterns and designs. I know you started it out of curiosity but you love creating designs. I’ve seen your work when you do, Lo. You have a real gift for it. It’s nothing to be ashamed of.”

Logan frowned but didn’t reply. Virgil didn’t push the subject, but later he dug out some of his old clothes and left them out, hoping. He grinned when they disappear and a jacket with intricate embroidery on the cuffs and lapel took their place.

It’s another thing they have to hide from their mother, and arguably more dangerous than the chores, especially for Logan. Over the course of the next week, Virgil did the dishes alone and was on guard almost constantly. He kept a careful eye on his older brother, who worked by candlelight embroidering any piece of clothing he could get away with.

They’re both exhausted and Logan’s fingers were sore and bloody, but the seamstress was delighted with the work. “This is more than a bargain!” She gushed when she handed them the plain clothes. “If you ever want to make a trade, let me know! I have some skirts and dresses that I’d love to have you work on.” Virgil smirked, but Logan looked resolutely away, stiffly thanking her for her work and time.

The seamstress eyed Logan over for a moment. “Your work is better than most I’ve seen, young man. You should be proud.” Logan looked at her, the slight widening of his eyes the only indication of surprise at her statement. After a moment’s hesitation, he nodded at her, took the clothes, and they left.

It becomes another routine. Virgil would do the dishes and clean the kitchen while Logan embroidered a variety of clothing for the seamstress in the dead of night by candlelight.

As soon as their mother went to bed, Logan and Virgil crept to Patton’s room and laid out the new clothes on his bed. As they turned to leave Patton stepped inside. The three of them froze. None of them say anything as Patton looked at them with wide eyes. Virgil shifted nervously, then broke.

“We’re so sorry!” He blurted. “We didn’t mean to come into your room without your permission, we just, we just wanted to- to get you some new clothes. Well, not new obviously, they’re actually mine, and- and I’m sorry they’re so plain but we had to make them plain because otherwise mother would notice, and, and I’m sorry.” Virgil trailed off, voice small.

Logan was so tense next to him, Virgil thought he’d snap in half. Virgil felt his breathing quicken as Patton stared at him. We shouldn’t have done this. He thought. We shouldn’t have done this, oh gall he probably hates us, and he’s going to laugh and say we’re stupid and-

In a flurry of movement, Patton threw himself forward, one arm slung around Virgil and the other gripping Logan as he hung between them, bawling his eyes out. “Thank you.” Patton sobbed into their necks. “Thank you, thank you, thank you.”

Logan placed a tentative hand against the Patton’s back as Virgil pulled Patton a little more into his arms. Patton’s sobs increased and they moved, pulling him against them and sank to the ground. Tears filled Virgil’s eyes as Patton clung to them. He looked over Patton’s head at Logan who met his eyes. Virgil smiled when he saw the same warmth and determination he felt reflected back at him in Logan’s eyes. Smiling, he buried his face in Patton’s hair as they all held each other and cried.

**********

That’s how they play the game for the next six years, until Patton and Logan are nineteen and Virgil is eighteen.

During the day, Logan and Virgil obeyed their mother’s every beck and call, acting the perfect sons, though never perfect enough to please her. At night they worked on chores with Patton, laughing and chatting with him and getting to know their step brother. Some days Logan embroidered while Patton and Virgil cleaned. On others, they all cleaned together or visited the garden where Patton happily introduced them to the animals before the sun came up.

They treaded carefully, wary of their tyrant mother, but continued helping Patton. They bought him more furnishings for his room and more clothes until soon, his room started looking like home and Patton’s wardrobe went from rags to plain clothes. Virgil huffed and raged that it wasn’t fair, but Patton soothed him, saying that just having them was more than enough, which always brought a blush to his step brother’s cheeks.

When they’d collected enough pocket money, they bought Patton some new glasses. Logan had dug for hours through every scrap of paper in the house to try and find a record of Patton’s prescription before finding something Nothing fancy, just some basic frames that wouldn’t be too noticeable to their mother, but that weren’t falling to pieces either. Patton cried when they gave them to him for his birthday.

Patton ached to defend his brothers to his step mother, but Logan had frequently warned him against it so he held his tongue. It didn’t make it any easier to watch them being abused, but Patton tried to help where he could. He helped Virgil with his anxiety, complimented Logan on his embroidery, and snuck Virgil extra food when he found out how slim his frame was. Patton asked Logan questions about all the things he had learned in his studies, which never failed to bring a smile to Logan’s face and a light to his eyes as he gushed about something new he’d learned or a subject he loved to Patton and Virgil as they worked during the night.

Then, one day, a ball was announced in honor of Prince Roman’s birthday. All eligible men and women and their families had been invited to attend, from the richest nobility to the poorest commoner. Their mother was ecstatic. Logan was far less enthused at the prospect, and it took hours for him and Patton to calm Virgil down from his panic attack.

Patton was wistful, but not jealous. Virgil muttered that they should send Patton in his place so Virgil could hide at home among the animals where it was safe. Logan just scoffed, though the quirk at the corner of his mouth betrayed him. It would never work, he said. “I know,” Virgil huffed mulishly. “But, you can let me dream.”

Patton simply smiled at them and told Logan and Virgil to try and have some fun. But, that wasn’t good enough for them. So, they went to the seamstress and struck another deal. In the weeks that followed, Logan was up to his nose in embroidering gowns and skirts for the ball. Patton and Virgil made sure to keep things as clean as possible for him while he worked. Virgil slipped out to the baker’s house and met his son there, who grinned when Virgil explained his plan and assured him it would be fine. “No worries, gurl! I got your back!”

On the day of the ball, Virgil squirmed in his finery behind his mother’s back and Logan grimaced while their mother instructed them once again on exactly what they were supposed to do and say every moment they were in the palace. Both of them were decked out in fine clothes of the richest indigo and purple with black and gold accents pieces and colors. Patton giggled at Virgil’s discomfort who shot him a smirk as he and Logan filed into the carriage after their mother.

Not ten minutes later there was a knock on the front door. Confused, Patton opened it to find a beaming young man with a package in his arms. “Special delivery for Patton, courtesy of the seamstress.”

Curious, Patton lifted the box and opened it. He gasped at the sight that greeted him. It was a beautiful blue suit that sparkled and glittered like diamonds as he held it up to the light. Rich embroidery lined the clothes, covered with intricate designs of small flowers. It looked more expensive than even the dress his step mother was wearing. “How- how is this possible?” He breathed, eyes never leaving the suit as he caressed it with shaking fingers.

The man shrugged. “Logan did, like, a ton of embroidery for the seamstress for the ball. This right here,” He tapped the suit with one finger, “is equal payment to the work he put in.”

A broad smile lit up Patton’s face as he clutched the suit to his chest. “Thank you!” He gushed.

“No problem, gurl. I got your back. Oh! Before I forget.” The man held out a pair of glass shoes to Patton. These were my mother’s.” The man winked at Patton. “Don’t get them scratched up cause I’ll be wanting them back when the night is done!”

Patton took them and blinked at the young man in surprise. “Oh- but I-”

“Let’s get a move on, hon! We don’t have all night! He gestured to a cart behind him and Patton shook himself, pausing only to gush out another “Thank you!”, before racing inside to change. He borrowed a little of Virgil’s makeup, knowing he wouldn’t mind, so he could make himself as presentable as possible, before making his way outside and sitting down next to the young man at the front of the cart.

When Patton entered the ballroom at the palace he was almost immediately swept away by the prince. Roman was charming and buoyant and made Patton laugh harder than he had in a long time. He kept an eye out for his brothers, but was unable to converse with them for fear of his step mother recognizing him. Roman lead Patton across the dance floor and the two fell into such easy conversation it felt to Patton like they had always known each other.

When he mentioned this to Roman when they were taking a break from one of the dances, he smiled softly, took Patton’s hand in his, kissed it gently and agreed with a smile. Patton flushed and grinned at him. They spoke about Roman’s adventures and dreams, but when he tried to ask Patton about his own life, Patton brushed off the questions, consenting only to gush about his “wonderful brothers”, making Roman smile. Roman exclaimed his desire to meet them, but Patton noticed his step mother and brothers and saw Logan’s harried gesture and had to flee, losing one of his shoes in the process.

When they got home, Logan and Virgil crept into Patton’s room. Virgil demanded Patton tell them everything that had happened, while Logan analyzed each interaction Patton had with Roman and told him behind glinting glasses and a smug look that their interactions seemed favorable. Causing Patton to blush and stammer and Virgil to almost fall off the bed laughing. For this one night, they forgot about tyrant mothers and grueling cruelty, and talked and laughed like it was always meant to be.

Patton almost fainted when Logan and Virgil came barrelling home from the town with the news that Prince Roman wanted to court the young man he’d danced and talked with at the ball. The whole countryside was in a tizzy and their step mother took the opportunity to run Logan and Virgil through the wringer. She was determined that she could somehow convince the prince that Logan or Virgil had been the one that he had met, much to their combined chagrin.

The next night, while working in the kitchen, the three of them began to formulate a plan to get Patton an audience with the palace, using his other glass shoe as proof for the prince.

The next morning found Patton locked in his room and Logan and Virgil lashed for their treachery by their mother who had heard everything from the night before. Virgil cried out in outrage as before their eyes she smashed the glass slipper against the wall, leaving the shards littering the floor. She swore at them in her wrath, commanded them to clean up the mess, and locked them in their room. Virgil screamed at her, calling her a dragon witch as she slammed the door in his face.

Virgil paced and seethed. He and Virgil heatedly tried to come up with a plan before finally setting on their only chance. Virgil picked the lock and, leaving him to gather up all the shards of glass, Logan fled to the town.

Logan contacted the baker’s son, telling him what had happened. He took Logan to one of the palace guards who was friends with a noble by the name of Joan who got him an audience with Roman. Logan explained everything to Roman. His mother and Patton and Virgil and the life they’d led under her nose up until the night of the ball and this morning when their mother had discovered their treachery and shattered the glass slipper.

Logan’s story correlated with what the mysterious stranger had told Prince Roman at the ball. Roman called a guard to inform his father, Thomas, of what had happened and where he was going, then he took several other guards and rode down to Logan’s home with him.

Upon Roman’s arrival, Logan’s mother was furious, but she hid it well under good grace and silver lies. Roman commanded she present her household to him. A sour line to her mouth and a glint in her eye, she curtsied deeply and complied: partially. She brought Virgil out, but denied any other relations. Virgil, upon seeing Logan and Roman, steeled himself for a moment, then held himself tall and addressed the prince directly, telling him of Patton and going so far as to demand Roman help him.

Logan’s eyes glinted proudly at his little brother as Roman left the guards with them and swept inside past the mother, commanding her to show him where her step son was.

Roman came out with Patton’s hand on his arm and a smile on both of their faces. After giving Roman another wide grin, he let go of his arm and raced towards Logan and Virgil who opened their arms wide for him. Patton threw one arm around each of them and they held each other tight. Joy radiating from all three of them.

Roman smiled and stepped forward, grandly lifting Logan and Virgil’s hands in his and clasping each in turn as he thanked them for helping him find “the love of his life”. Patton flushed and giggled while Virgil smirked and Logan graciously responded to the prince.

Their mother’s voice cut like ice through their smiles and laughter. “Logan, Virgil. Come.” Logan, Virgil, and Patton all froze. They looked towards the shadowed doorframe where Logan and Virgil’s mother stood like a hawk, proud and tall with steel in her eyes. Logan threw one last tight smile at Patton and nodded respectfully at Roman before he and Virgil stepped around Patton and towards their mother.

“No!” Patton gasped, tears streaming down his face. Logan, Virgil, and the guards all startled and looked on in shock a Patton’s face. He put his hands together and faced Roman. “Please. Please, if I go with you, then- then my brothers must too! I will not leave them here. That woman may not be my mother, but Logan and Virgil are my dear family and I cannot abandon them here.”

Roman smiled gently and stepped forward. Looking Patton in the eyes, he took Patton’s clasped hands in both of his and pressed them to his lips. “Of course, my love.” He murmured, eyes shining.

Patton melted in relief and kissed Roman, startling the guards, then flew around the prince who laughed brightly to grab Logan and Virgil’s arms and haul them towards the horses.

Though their mother raged and objected, Logan and Virgil were of legal age to leave their home. So, they rode back to the palace with Roman and Patton where Roman formally introduced them to his father, Thomas.

Logan and Virgil both assisted Patton in learning about courtly life - how to behave and who to trust and how to speak to different nobility. The four of them quickly became fast friends. They spent hours together just talking and telling stories. Sometimes they would ride the horses down forest trails, racing each other and laughing with the wind.

Logan liked to debate different subjects with Roman, and though the two butted heads, Roman was pleased with how knowledgeable Logan was on matters of the kingdom. He called for the best tutors and assigned them to Logan.

Roman began courting Patton and Virgil threatened Roman to take good care of his brother, prompting a laugh from the prince and a declaration of love and a vow to always protect his love and his family that got an eye roll from Virgil. The two of them got along like a house on fire and could always be seen bantering or challenging one another to different games and competitions.

Logan poured himself into his studies and quickly rose in rank to become one of Roman’s top advisors, while Virgil began training with Roman to fence and fight, something he picked up on quickly much to the prince’s delight.

Patton felt a surge of love and warmth at seeing all of his family together. He loved the long days studying or riding together, the dates with Roman, and the trips into the village in disguise, both for the thrill of it and so they could all visit the baker’s son and their other friends without garnering too much attention. The best though, in Patton’s opinion, were the nights where they all snuck into one of their rooms. All four of them would curl up on the bed and just stay together: laughing and snickering as they shared stories by candlelight. It was the happiest he’d ever been.

At the end of a respectable period of courtship (per Thomas’s request, which was given with a knowing smirk and raised eyebrows to a slightly sheepish Roman), Roman finally asked for Patton’s hand in marriage in a grand gesture complete with a picnic in a meadow of forest clearing by a stream, a boat ride under the stars, and fireworks when Patton threw his arms around Roman and said yes, almost knocking them laughing out of the boat in the process.

They were married soon after, with blue and yellow flowers of all kinds adorning the halls beneath sparkling crystal chandeliers in a grand ceremony attended by almost everyone in the kingdom. Logan and Virgil stood next to the altar by Patton’s side: their eyes were proud and warm as they gazed at the brilliant, joyful light radiating from Roman and Patton’s faces as their brother said, I do.

And they all lived happily ever after.

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first time finishing a work for sanders sides (I'm in the process of writing multiple). It will be crossposted to tumblr sometime in the next two days.
> 
> I may edit it someday but that day is not today


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